United States

Salazar steps down as US interior secretary

UNITED STATES: US interior secretary Ken Salazar has announced he is stepping down from his position after four years in the role.

Interior secretary Ken Salazar

Salazar has been responsible for US energy policy. In terms of wind energy, his greatest impact has been in signing off the lease for the 468MW Cape Wind project in Massachusetts.

Most recently, Salazar announced that developers wishing to build offshore wind farms in US federal waters off Virginia, Massachusetts and Rhode Island will have the opportunity to bid for leases this year.

He has also launched the Smart from the Start initiative to cut red tape and facilitate siting, leasing and construction of new projects. However, despite these efforts the US is still waiting for its first offshore wind farm.

Salazar said he planned to return to Colorado, but did not give an indication of his next role. Speaking about his impact on US renewable energy policy, he said: "Today, the largest solar energy projects in the world are under construction on America’s public lands in the West, and we’ve issued the first leases for offshore wind in the Atlantic. I am proud of the renewable energy revolution that we have launched."

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